Les Cockrell: Ann’s Haven VNA schedules training program

Ann’s
Haven VNA has scheduled an 18-hour training program for volunteers in August,
according to an announcement from Ginny Hudson, Ann’s Haven volunteer
coordinator.

The
training session will be offered from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 17, 24 and 31, and
prospective volunteers should complete all the sessions.

The
training will be held at Ann’s Haven VNA, 325 W. McKinney St., Suite 101 in
Denton. A light lunch and refreshments will be provided all three days, but
participants are welcome to bring a sack lunch.

Seating
is limited, and those interested can call Hudson at 940-349-5900 to reserve a
place.

Hospice volunteers are essential members of the hospice team and assist
in many ways, according to the announcement. Individuals who are interested in
helping terminally ill patients and their families who reside in Denton County
are invited to inquire about opportunities.

Direct
patient care volunteers provide support for people with a terminal illness and
their families through visits, caregiver relief and assistance with errands.

Volunteers
also assist with clerical duties, special projects and bereavement services.

Training
gives volunteers a clear understanding of hospice philosophy and teaches them
to become effective caregivers for patients and their families, the
announcement stated.

Topics covered include the interdisciplinary team, spiritual and
cultural diversity, family dynamics and bereavement.

VNA
encourages family members to wait a minimum of one year following the death of
a loved one before volunteering as a hospice patient care volunteer or
bereavement support volunteer.

An
upcoming class at Denton’s North Branch Library will teach how to make a film
from digital clips.

The
class, inspired by Cory Doctorow’s book Pirate Cinema — Short Film Creation,
will be offered from 3 to 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, according to a press release
from the library.

The class
will teach participants how to make a piece of art or create a short film using
video clips. Participants will learn how to rip clips legally from the Web and
assemble them into short films, the press release stated.

The USDA
Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Denton County Soil and Water
Conservation District have scheduled a local work group meeting from 10:30 a.m.
to noon Friday at the Joseph A. Carroll Building, 401 W. Hickory St. in Denton.

The
annual meeting, which is open to the public, is to set local conservation
priorities and to discuss conservation topics and issues relevant to helping
Denton County farmers and ranchers better conserve on-farm natural resources,
according to a press release.

In addition to updating attendees on recent conservation efforts,
officials will also collect public input to help guide future conservation
activities. Farmers, ranchers and all others interested in obtaining USDA
technical and financial assistance to improve private land in Denton County are
invited to participate.

For more
information, contact Steven Ray, Natural Resources Conservation Service
District Conservationist, at 940-383-2691, extension 3. For more information,
visit the website at http://www.tx.nrcs.usda.gov
.

City sponsors certified water quality
monitoring training

The city
of Denton will sponsor certified water quality monitoring training Aug. 7 and 8
in the conference room of the main City Hall, 215 E. McKinney St., city
officials announced recently.

There is no cost for the training, but registration is required by
contacting Mendie Schmidt at 940-349-7141 or Mendie.Sclhmidt@cityofdenton.com.

Phase I
of the training will be held from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. and phase II will be
offered 12:30 to 3 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 7. Phase III training will be offered
in another location at a later date.

Optional
advanced training on bacteriological and nutrient monitoring will be available
from 8:30 to 10 a.m. and 10 a.m. to noon, respectively, Thursday, Aug. 8.

The
training, to certify new volunteers, is part of the statewide Texas Stream Team
program, a network of trained volunteers and supportive partners working
together to gather information about the natural resources of Texas. Texas
Stream Team is administered through a cooperative partnership between Texas
State University, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, according to the press release.

The CoServ Charitable Foundation recently donated $25,000 to survivors
of the May tornadoes that struck Oklahoma and Granbury, as well as victims of
the fertilizer plant explosion in West, according to a CoServ press release.

Most of the foundation’s grants are distributed to local
community-based nonprofit organizations and first-responders within the CoServ
community, but when a pressing need in areas not served by CoServ arises, the
foundation can respond using unrestricted funds — money raised through the
foundation’s annual golf tournament and CoServ Employee fundraisers and payroll
deductions, according to the press release.

Nearly
400 electric co-op members from at least four different electric distribution
systems had their homes and businesses destroyed or heavily damaged by
tornadoes in May, said Sid Sperry, director of public relations for the
Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives.

The
CoServ Charitable Foundation also provided $10,000 to the West Volunteer Fire
Department for relief efforts after the fertilizer plant explosion and $10,000
to the American Red Cross to help victims of the May tornado that swept through
the Granbury area.

Since its founding in 2004, the foundation has awarded nearly 500
grants to help fund activities and organizations that make a difference in 48
communities in North Texas. For more information about the foundation and its
ongoing assistance efforts in communities served by CoServ, visit CoServ
Charitable Foundation or the CoServ Facebook page.

Free conference available for caregivers

A free
conference on Alzheimer’s disease titled “Practical Help for Hardworking
Caregivers” will be offered from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursday at First
United Methodist Church of Denton, according to a press release from
organizers.

The
conference is sponsored by the Alzheimer’s Association in conjunction with
Stepping Stones Activity and Socialization Group and will be held in Flinn Hall
at the church located at 201 S. Locust St. To register, call 1-800-272-3900 or
go online at www.alz.org/greaterdallas
.

LES COCKRELL is interested in your input for
Out & About. Help share information about Denton County events and people
by calling him at 940-566-6887. His e-mail address is lcockrell@dentonrc.com .

Comments

DentonRC.com is now using Facebook Comments. To post a comment, log into Facebook and then add your comment below. Your comment is subject to Facebook's Privacy Policy and Terms of Service on data use. If you don't want your comment to appear on Facebook, uncheck the 'Post to Facebook' box. To find out more, read the FAQ .